Contact assembly

Abstract

A contact assembly for making electrical connection between coaxial members generally includes a rotor having a plurality of spaced apart circumferential electrically conductive rings, and a stator surrounding a rotor with a plurality of spaced apart grooves aligned with the plurality of rings at a variable distance therefrom. A plurality of circular canted-coil springs is provided with each spring being disposed and a corresponding groove providing constant force against a corresponding ring independent of the variable distance between the compression ring and the groove. A plurality of electrical leads is provided with each lead being electrically connected to a corresponding ring.

1 . A contact assembly for making electrical connection between coaxial members, said assembly comprising: 
 a rotor having a plurality of spaced apart circumferential electrically conductive rings;    a stator surrounding said rotor and having a plurality of spaced apart grooves aligned with the plurality of rings at a variable distanced therefrom;    a plurality of circular canted coil springs, each spring being disposed in a corresponding grooved and providing a constant force against a corresponding ring independent of the variable distance between the corresponding ring and groove; and    a plurality of leads, each lead being electrically connected to a corresponding ring.    
     
     
         2 . The assembly according to  claim 1  wherein each groove has a flat bottom.  
     
     
         3 . The assembly according to  claim 1  wherein each groove has a V-bottom.  
     
     
         4 . The assembly according to  claim 1  wherein each groove has a tapered bottom.  
     
     
         5 . The assembly according to  claim 1  wherein each spring comprises a radial spring.  
     
     
         6 . The assembly according to  claim 2  wherein each spring comprises round coils.  
     
     
         7 . The assembly according to  claim 2  wherein each spring comprises elliptical coils.  
     
     
         8 . The assembly according to  claim 1  wherein each spring comprises an axial spring.  
     
     
         9 . The assembly according to  claim 1  wherein each spring has a coil width greater than a corresponding groove width in order to prevent each spring from turning in the corresponding groove.